End of the Line
by KaoMayaRights
Summary: A simple mistake might be the end of the line for a loved one. Apocalyptic setting. TW: Death


There was blood everywhere. The brunette's face was wet — whether it was sweat, blood, tears or a mix of all three, she couldn't tell. In all honesty, though, Maya didn't care. She looked around the practice room, then checked the barricade on the door once again. It seemed safe enough, but she already knew that. The former actress was trying to buy time; to avoid doing what she had to do.

She couldn't stall much though.

"Are ya... gonna take any longer, Maya-han?" Kaoruko was trying so hard to seem strong. Maya could see right through her — of course she would, the blue haired one's voice was coated in pain. The taller girl turned around, eyes looking at the other's arm. The bloodied bite stood out like a flashlight in the dark, reminding the brunette she'd failed once again, this time with permanent consequences.

'Maya-han... Stop!' Kaoruko's words were still echoing in her head. She'd warned her. She'd told her not to open the door to Karen's room. But Maya was too stubborn; she'd never think worrying about the 99th class girls would cost her girlfriend's life. They were chased by what used to be the mood maker of their class. Karen was not Karen anymore. Just like Nana wasn't Nana, Junna wasn't Junna, Futaba wasn't Futaba and Hikari wasn't Hikari. Just like Kaoruko wouldn't be Kaoruko, if Maya didn't act soon. Their class was falling apart little by little, student by student. Walking around school wasn't safe anymore. The mere act of checking on your friend could be the end of the line for one of them — this time, it was the last person Maya wanted to hurt; the person that would hurt Maya the most.

It took Maya a while to work up the courage to walk towards Kaoruko and kneel down in front of her. Facing her knowing what she was about to do wasn't easy; looking at the other as if those weren't her last minutes was something not even Seisho's top student could do. She grabbed the now useless first-aid kit from her bag, holding the blue haired girl's arm as carefully as possible so she wouldn't hurt her any more. "I'm going to clean this up. Stay still."

Kaoruko wasn't the one moving.

"Maya-han... That won't make any difference, ya know? It's best to finish thin—" Maya pressed her forehead against Kaoruko's lips to keep her from talking any more. She was aware — well aware — of what she needed to do. The brunette didn't want to hear those words coming from the shorter one's mouth. She didn't want Kaoruko to put up a front in her last moments. She wanted the blue haired girl to feel as much as she could possibly feel while she was still there, alive.

"Stop pretending to be strong in front of me." Maya's voice was raspy, as if she hadn't talked in days. It was painful to hear. She gently cleaned the wound — the skin around it was already turning blackish. Their time was getting closer to an end. There was a lump in the brunette's throat that kept her from saying anything else. She didn't need to; something wet soon touched her forehead.

Kaoruko was crying.

The taller girl's heart tightened as she looked up, face inches apart from the other's. "I don't wanna die." Kaoruko's voice came out in a strangled whisper. Maya's trembling hands cupped her cheeks, wiping the tears away with her thumbs. "I don't wanna, I'm too young, I have... things I want to do... places I want to go to... I..." The sobs made her trail off. Maya pulled her in for a kiss.

Their last kiss.

Their lips touched in a gentle, slow way. Usually thirsty for each other, this kiss felt foreign. It was almost as if the people kissing in that room, at that moment, weren't really them. The two girls were desperately trying to make it last for as long as possible, but both knew they didn't have much time left. Kaoruko would turn soon; Maya had promised not to let it happen. Kaoruko wanted to leave the world as herself, and the brunette was the only one who could grant her wish.

She pulled away, but her hands were still holding Kaoruko's face. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Hanayagi-san..." Her eyes filled with tears; she had to look away before she started crying. The shorter one was quick to turn Maya's face back to her own. Kaoruko's expression was easy to read: 'I wanna look at you as much as I can, Maya-han.' The brunette was in no position to deny her that. "I... I wish I had been bitten in your place, I... I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."

"Maya-han... I'm glad I was the one bitten. I wouldn't be able to... keep our promise, ya know? I wouldn't... be able to kill ya." Kaoruko groaned. The brunette glanced at the other's arm: it was getting worse. Their time was over. Kaoruko giggled, placing her hand over the taller girl's. For a brief second, Maya's face lit up in a hopeful expression — Kaoruko's laugh was healing. Reality came crashing down upon the two girls way too soon, though, when the shorter one dozed off for a quick moment. Kaoruko's consciousness was fading away. "Ya made those last days... less painful, Maya-han. Ya really are able to light up one's world. That's why... ya need to keep going, okay? If not for ya, do it for me. I wouldn't want my... Maya-han to die to a bunch of zombies."

She was suffering, Maya could tell. Talking was painful. Asking the brunette to move on, to let her go and keep fighting, was, at the same time, extremely selfish and utterly selfless. It hurt the other more than it could ever hurt Maya. Kaoruko coughed, covering her mouth with her hand; there was blood on it. The taller one nodded, pressing their foreheads together for a few seconds before getting up. "I'll do my best. I will... do what it takes... to survive. I promise you." The former actress took her sword from where she'd tossed it earlier. "Hana— Kaoruko... I love you. I will always love you."

Kaoruko had a smile on her lips as she nodded — she was ready to go. The blue haired one took one last deep breath. "I love ya too, Maya-han." This was the first time Kaoruko had told her that. "Ya were my first and only true love." The shorter girl didn't hesitate. She didn't have time to do so. "Ya really know how to make a girl happy..." Her voice cracked; she was crying again. Maya wanted to hug her close and never let go. It hurt knowing she would never be able to do that again. Her whole body felt numb. "Thank ya, Maya-han."

'Kaoruko is... so cruel. Telling me all this when we are saying our goodbyes...' That was the only thing Maya had in mind when she stabbed the other's chest. A single tear streamed down her left cheek. "Thank you, Hanayagi-san. I might've lighted up your world, but... you became mine." Kaoruko opened her mouth to talk. Before she could say anything, though, her limp body fell to the floor — taking part of the brunette's heart with it. Kaoruko's message was still clear. There was no way Maya, of all people, wouldn't get it: 'Keep living.'

Maya stared at the practice room floor for what seemed like hours before she could move again. That well-known mark in the center of the room was there, laughing at her; mocking her; reminding her of how much of a failure she was when it came to anything that wasn't acting. The brunette stood over it as she usually would. "Position Zero. This is Tendou Maya."

And for the first time in her life, Maya felt like she didn't belong there.


End file.
